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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell XPS 13 depends on your preferences and needs. If you're looking for a more affordable option with decent general use capabilities and a touchscreen, the Acer is a suitable choice. However, the Dell XPS 13 offers better performance for engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and machine learning, which might be worth the higher price for professionals or students in those fields. Also take into consideration the XPS 13's superior battery life, lighter weight, and higher screen quality which could be advantageous for usage on-the-go and for media consumption. On the other hand, the Acer is fanless which should mean it operates very quietly, which can be a significant advantage if you are noise-sensitive. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13.
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers fair performance for general use with a modest processor, adequate memory, and a fanless operation that keeps it silent, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. In contrast, the Dell XPS 13 provides good general use performance with its higher-end processor and double the memory, a brighter and more color-accurate screen, longer battery life, and a lighter build, enhancing portability and user experience at probably a higher price point.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.2
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.0
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the Dell XPS 13 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.9
7.5
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When selecting a laptop for general use, the Dell XPS 13's higher resolution and brighter display offer crisp visuals and ease of use in various lighting conditions, whereas the Acer's screen may appear less sharp. For engineering and design tasks, the Dell's superior color gamut coverage ensures more accurate color representation, which is crucial for detailed work, but the Acer's color range might be less precise, leading to potential discrepancies in your projects. For gaming and 3D applications, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell XPS 13 lack fast refresh rates, meaning they won't deliver the smoothest visual experience required by high-end gaming or advanced 3D applications.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$850
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has an Intel i3 processor with integrated graphics and a standard refresh rate screen, making it sufficient for casual gaming and basic 3D applications, but its performance will be limited in more demanding scenarios.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Dell XPS 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 2.59 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i7-1250U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 442 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | November 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small."
Dell XPS 13
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The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Dell XPS 13
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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